Signora Sheila

August was a busy month for us between getting our guest house ready for numerous guests, and two weddings. Then I got the flu, which knocked me out. So with all of that, I fell behind on my Bible school classes and had to catch up.

Weddings

If you’ve never been to any Italian weddings, they’re quite an event. They usually last about 12 hours between the ceremony and the multi-course meal.

I struggle with these weddings because there’s way too much food, and the long day in the straight-backed chairs makes my back ache, and my husband and I are not exactly elegant people. Italians love style and fancy clothes, and they even dress up even just to go grocery shopping. But they really go all out for weddings and special events!

Compared to them, I often feel (and probably look) like a country bumpkin. I am uncomfortable with it all, and I hate the obligatory photo shoots because I am anything but photogenic. (Although we didn’t turn out too bad in the following gallery, with the help of the beautiful backgrounds!)

However, we love celebrating weddings and witnessing a man and a woman embark on one of life’s greatest and most blessed adventures together. I hope they find many years of marital bliss, as my hubby and I have had!

Birthdays

August is also the month of our birthdays, which are only four days apart. This year, we had a special surprise when friends from our church in northern Italy came for a visit! “We came to celebrate with you,” they told us. And they spoiled us! They brought gifts, they cooked, and they made these some of our most special birthdays ever!

Highlights from my Bible school

I think the course I am currently taking is, by far, my favorite. Mainly because much of the material is films from Ray Vander Laan’s “That the World May Know” website. I have enjoyed his excellent teaching in the past, so I was thrilled to have these as part of the Old Testament Bible Interpretation course.

He brings out so much background on the Exodus and the Egyptian plagues that I am still amazed at what I learned. The lessons on walking with God in the Desert were so encouraging. He emphasizes that deserts are places of great provision and one of God’s most fruitful teaching fields. Which is why going through wilderness times in our lives is actually one of the most blessed experiences we can have.

But the ninth lesson on first fruits and being a transforming force in our culture was particularly helpful and encouraging. Especially the following statement about being the shapers of our culture.

“God always wants you to just use what you do well. Those gifts that He has given you and that you are good at. And if you want to impact our culture, if you want to make a difference in the world, you have to be nothing but what God has gifted you to be. If your gift is teaching, if your gift is working with people, if your gift is building, if your gift is parenting, God simply says, “Use what you have and what you are good at, but use it for me.” (Ray Vander Laan, That the World May Know)

It’s not hard to figure out how to serve God. Just start with what you know, what you’re good at, and use that to serve God and help others. He will guide you along the way.

I often struggle with the idea that I’m not good enough. These words have helped me a lot and kept me from giving up on certain things.

If you love learning from the Bible and about the times and cultures of the Bible, I highly recommend the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI). You will learn a lot and find encouragement for your daily life and your walk with the Lord. Try it and discover the blessings!

📷 Images are mine